Intel DP45SG (Skyburg)

[Drools]

The slipstreamed version installed fine and seems to be working great.

[panzerino]

You use now nLite?
All your installation problems are gone now?

[Drools]

no I still used vlite and yes all the install problems were solved. Is nlite better in some way to vlite?
Maybe we should start a new thread for this?

[panzerino]

No, it isn't.
May be the problem was with your DVD disk (write quality), like was mentioned again here some posts above.
All your problems are solved? on/off problem too? sleep problem too?
The board is fast? the sound quality of the integrated sound is good?

[TCRG tv]

Originally Posted by Drools

no I still used vlite and yes all the install problems were solved. Is nlite better in some way to vlite?
Maybe we should start a new thread for this?

I think vlite is for Vista and nlite is for XP. Wow you might be the first guy to conquor all bugs!

[Drools]

I did say install problems were gone. I have not played enough with the system to know if Vista runs properly because...
Once my son heard the Halo2 music I was dead in the water, he wanted his new computer and there was no way talking him out of it. I joined my domain made sure everything looked good in the device manager and downloaded all the Vista updates. Everything works sound, lan, video etc and it dual boots XP so he can play the older games he has. The only way I will know if something does not work properly is when he comes to me asking for help.

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by panzerino

All your problems are solved? on/off problem too? sleep problem too?
The board is fast? the sound quality of the integrated sound is good?

Sleep/restart don't work. System still double starts from cold start.

Board is very fast. Notwithstanding that I own a Q9650, a cold start goes through BIOS/Intel flash screen slow, then MS progress bar, then when the desktop appears everything loads quickly such as system tray and networking. I can almost immediately go online and pages load in IE very quickly, faster than ever. The internet is a joy to use with this board.

System also runs very cool and the sound chip is outstanding.

Other than the double starting and not using restart/sleep for the time being, I am very happy with this board. It has not had any new problems since I first got it after I set memory to 1066 7-7-7-20 1.5V. Runs as stable as my Bad Axe did.

I've had a couple of double takes on memory selection but since my 1600 runs well at 1.5V, I think I will keep it and not trade for 1333. I could have saved $100 buying 1333 but I might regret later not keeping what I have. Also I am contemplating trading my 4850 for the more powerful 4870.

[panzerino]

Thank you Sandog.
The integrated audio is better than this of one separated and dedicated sound card? for classical music too? clarity,details, naturalness?
The sound of the BadAxe2 was better, or?

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by panzerino

Thank you Sandog.
The integrated audio is better than this of one separated and dedicated sound card? for classical music too? clarity,details, naturalness?
The sound of the BadAxe2 was better, or?

It sounds wonderful to me, couldn't be better but I am not a music aficionado. I quit using a dedicated sound card a long time ago.

Here are the product briefs for each sound chip. You can read the features of each. All these chips are close cousins and sound pretty good IMO. I think that IDT makes the best audio chips (CODECS) out there. Again the DP45SG chip is low-power optimized just like the Ethernet chip.

Bad Axe

Bone Trail

Skyburg

[Sandog]

By the way, I will be getting a new ATI HD 4870 in about 2wks.

[chevyvan10]

hey sandog....

hear anything about the new bios comming out?

this is taking forever!

[ATINUT]

Originally Posted by Sandog

By the way, I will be getting a new ATI HD 4870 in about 2wks.

Good luck with the 4870. I read on the internet, where there was some trouble with the initial batch of PowerColor 4870's, and PowerColor or was it AMD, had to issue a few bios updates to straighten the initial PowerColor 4870's out.

I'm running a pair of Sapphire GDDR4 3870's on my board, as I don't trust that 3870X2 anymore.

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by chevyvan10

hey sandog....

hear anything about the new bios comming out?

this is taking forever!

Nope, I think Intel is busy continueing work on it and since it's over-due we could see it anyday now. It should be a good one when it comes, there are lots of obvious fixes that need to be made. Hopefully IDCC will follow shortly also.

Just an observation but because this board is probaby the last desktop chipset with external MCH and because of the low-cost it will guarantee it's popularity. It will be supported long enough for the BIOS to reach full maturity. We will probaby see a discontinuance PCN on the X48 in about a year due to Nehalem but I think Intel will keep this chipset for a very long time. It is also 65nm like the newer chipsets arriving shortly.

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by ATINUT

Good luck with the 4870. I read on the internet, where there was some trouble with the initial batch of PowerColor 4870's, and PowerColor or was it AMD, had to issue a few bios updates to straighten the initial PowerColor 4870's out.

I'm running a pair of Sapphire GDDR4 3870's on my board, as I don't trust that 3870X2 anymore.

Thanks ATINUT,

I really like the quality and color the ATI cards bring. I had some stuttering with my 4850 at 1600x1200 full details and started looking at alternatives. I use to only play at 1280x1024 but the card is so awesome it has me going to higher resolutions. I've sealed a deal for the Sapphire Toxic 4870 and should be getting it soon.

[ATINUT]

Originally Posted by Sandog

Thanks ATINUT,

I really like the quality and color the ATI cards bring. I had some stuttering with my 4850 at 1600x1200 full details and started looking at alternatives. I use to only play at 1280x1024 but the card is so awesome it has me going to higher resolutions. I've sealed a deal for the Sapphire Toxic 4870 and should be getting it soon.

You're welcome, and I actually get better performance out of my 3870's than I did with the 3870X2, which is now sitting in it's box in the closet.

In every game that supports widescreen resolution, I run widescreen, whether or not it is 1280X720, 1360X768, 1440X900, or 1680X1050, as I have a 20inch widescreen that supports these resolutions.

If I decided to build a second machine either for myself, or for my Dad next year, I'll definitely take a look at either this board, or the X48BT2.